Warm Springs Indian Reservation
| area_land = | area_water = | area_urban = | area_rural = | area_metro = | elevation = | demonym = | zip_code = 97761 | area_code = 541 | fips_code = 41-78600 | gnis_code = 1128648 | twin1 = | twin2 = | twin3 = | twin4 = | twin5 = | twin6 = | twin7 = | twin8 = | twin9 = }} Warm Springs refers both to the Indian reservation as well as the community located on it. The Warm Springs community is a census-designated place (CDP) and an unincorporated community in Jefferson County. It is also known as the "Warm Springs Agency." At the time of the 2000 census, the population was 2,431. Warm Springs Indian Reservation consists of in north Central Oregon, and is occupied and governed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. History The reservation was created by treaty in 1855, which defined its boundaries as follows: Commencing in the middle of the channel of the Deschutes River opposite the eastern termination of a range of high lands usually known as the Mutton Mountains; thence westerly to the summit of said range, along the divide to its connection with the Cascade Mountains; thence to the summit of said mountains; thence southerly to Mount Jefferson; thence down the main branch of Deschutes River; heading in this peak, to its junction with Deschutes River; and thence down the middle of the channel of said river to the place of beginning. The Warm Springs and Wasco bands gave up ownership rights to area, which they had inhabited for over 10,000 years, in exchange for basic health care, education, and other forms of assistance as outlined by the Treaty with the Tribes of Middle Oregon (June 25, 1855). Other provisions of the Treaty of 1855 ensured that tribal members retained hunting and fishing rights in the "Natural and Accustomed Area" which they had vacated. These treaty hunting and fishing rights are rights that were retained by the tribe and are not "special rights" granted by the U.S. government. http://lawlib.lclark.edu/blog/native_america/?page_id=8 In 1879, the U.S. government moved a small group of Paiutes to the reservation in spite of that tribe's history of conflict with Columbia River tribes. Geography Most of the reservation land lies primarily in parts of Wasco County and Jefferson County, but there are smaller sections in six other counties; in descending order of land area they are: Clackamas, Marion, Gilliam, Sherman, Linn and Hood River counties. (The Hood River County portion consists of tiny sections of non-contiguous off-reservation trust land in the northeast corner of the county.) The reservation is southeast of Portland, Oregon. Over half of its land, 348,000 acres or , is forested. The community is located at 44.760168, -121.268233 and is located above sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and (0.44%) is water. Climate on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, with Mount Jefferson in the background.]] This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Warm Springs has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Warm Springs, Oregon Demographics The reservations's only significant population center is the Warm Springs community (also known as the Warm Springs Agency), which comprises over 73 percent of the reservation's population. As of the census of 2000 , there were 2,431 people, 603 households, and 507 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 57.2 people per square mile (22.1/km2). There were 642 housing units at an average density of 15.1 per square mile (5.8/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 2.47% White, 0.08% African American, 93.46% Native American, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.11% from other races, and 2.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.50% of the population. There were 603 households out of which 50.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.3% were married couples living together, 34.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.9% were non-families. 11.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.02 and the average family size was 4.19. In the CDP the population was spread out with 41.1% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 4.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 104.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.5 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $29,886, and the median income for a family was $28,300. Males had a median income of $27,083 versus $20,897 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $8,583. About 28.2% of families and 32.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.9% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over. Economy In 1964, the first part of the Kah-nee-ta Resort was completed — Kah-nee-ta Village — a lodging complex with a motel, cottages and tipis. As of 2003, the reservation was home to a tribal enrollment of over 4200. The biggest source of revenue for the tribes are hydroelectric (Warm Springs Power Enterprises) projects on the Deschutes River. The tribes also operate Warm Springs Forest Products Industries. Many tribal members engage in ceremonial, subsistence, and commercial fisheries in the Columbia River for salmon, rainbow trout, steelhead, and white sturgeon. Tribal members also fish for salmon and steelhead for subistence purposes in the Deschutes River, primarily at Sherars Falls. Tribal members also harvest Pacific Lamprey at Sherars Falls and Willamette Falls. The tribe's fishing rights are protected by treaty and re-affirmed by court cases such as Sohappy v. Smith and United States v. Oregon. Indian Head Casino The Indian Head Casino on U.S. Route 26 opened in February 2012. It has of gaming space, with 500 slot machines and 8 blackjack tables. The tribes expect the casino to net $9 to 12 million annually. The casino previously operated at Kah-Nee-Ta Resort, where it had only 300 slot machines and made $2 to 4 million a year. The new location was intended to be more accessible to travelers, but the tribes consider it temporary until their proposed Columbia River Gorge casino can be built. Tribes Three tribes form the confederation: the Wasco, the Tenino and the Paiute. Since 1938 they have been unified as the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Culture Like the Grand Ronde Agency in western Oregon, the Warm Springs Reservation is one of the last holdouts in the U.S. of speakers of the Chinook Jargon because of its utility as an inter-tribal language. The forms of the Jargon used by elders in Warm Springs vary considerably from the heavily-creolized form at Grand Ronde. Kiksht, Numu and Ichishkiin Snwit languages are taught in the Warm Springs Reservation schools. See also * The Museum at Warm Springs * Kah-nee-ta Resort External links * Warm Spring Forest Products Industries website * Text of Treaty with the Tribes of Middle Oregon, 1855 from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service * Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission - member tribes include the Warm Springs * Lifelong Learning Online Project * Indian Head Casino References Category:Jefferson County Category:Communities